1. Field
The subject invention relates to a system for handling a multiplicity of chemical or biochemical compounds or samples.
2. Description
In pharmaceutical research, chemical or biochemical compounds are routinely screened for their potential activity. Hundreds or thousands of small-volume, compound-containing samples (xe2x80x9caliquotsxe2x80x9d) must be screened in the shortest time possible. Presently, aliquots are pipetted on demand from reservoir containers in which individual compounds are stored.
Compound-containing samples are oftentimes deep frozen for long term storage, thus necessitating that the samples be thawed for aliquot pipetting and then refrozen. Unfortunately, this procedure is cumbersome and time consuming. Moreover, frequent freezing and thawing cycles may result in compound deterioration, and reiterated pipetting may lead to contamination of the compounds. In each case, valuable and expensive compounds may have to be phased out and/or replaced before the entire quantity has been used. This wasting of compounds may represent a substantial economic loss.
It is the aim of the present invention to provide a compound handling system which is not afflicted with these disadvantages.
The subject invention provides a system for handling a multiplicity of tubes that each contain an aliquot of a chemical or biological sample. The system comprises a rack, means for inserting a tube into a storage compartment, and means for removing a tube from a storage compartment. The rack holds a multiplicity of tubes, and has a top side and a bottom side and storage compartments. Each storage compartment is configured and dimensioned to receive a tube containing a chemical or biological sample, and is open at the top side of the rack and open at the bottom side of the rack so that a tube can be inserted into the storage compartment from either the top side of the rack or the bottom side of the rack and can be removed from the storage compartment from either the top side of the rack or the bottom side of the rack.